Steam-pump



, 1 UNITED STATE-s PATENT Ormcn.

EDWARD o. JoHNsoN, or ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

STEAM-PUMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,099,dated July 2, 1889.

Application filed November 20, 1888- Serial No. 291,416; (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD O. JOHNSON, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam- Pumps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to steam-pumps; and the invention consists in certain improvements on the pump for which my application Serial No. 248,396 was filed August 31,1887. .The essential elements of the pump are a closed casing and a gyratory compound piston. The casing has an annular steam-chamber and an annular water-chamber concentric with each the partition in the steam-chamber the outer surface of the ring will lie against the outer wall of said chamber and the inner surface of the ring will lie against the opposite inner wall of the chamber, and the width of the ring will equal that of the walls-of the chamber. The steam-piston ring will thus have an eccentric relation to the steam-chamber, and the water-ring is of corresponding construction and bears the same relation to the water-chamber. The rings in the compound piston are connected, so that in operation they move together.

WVith this premise as to the general character of the pump, I will proceed to describe the particular construction of the improved device embraced in the present application.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the improved pump, the starting-lever in elevation. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the cover and a modification of the piston. Fig. 3 is a plan of the coupling-bar, showing the position of the lugs on the pistons with relation to the bar. Fig. MS a perspective of the face of the starting lever or key. Fig. 5 is a top plan of the casing with cover removed, showin g in section the open piston-rings in their respective chambers.

The numeral 1 indicates the casin g or pump body proper. The casing is preferably mad of cast metal in a single piece. The botto portion 2 is a round plate, having upwardl projecting walls'3, 4, 5, and 6, each wall for ing a complete ring, and all the ringsbei' concentric. The rings 5 and 6 are connected by a cross-bar 7, which divides the space be tween said rings into a chamber or trough 8, which is a little less than a complete annular chamber. The cross-bar 9 forms a similar partition in the chamber 10, which lies between the rings 3 and at. An inlet-port at 12 permits a supply of steam to enter the Glltlll ber 8, and an exhaustport 13 permits the escape of the steam after it has performed its work. Corresponding parts ll and 15 serve to conduct water to and from the water-chainber 10.

The compound piston has a broken ring 20, which lies in the chamber 8, the break 21 in the ring lying astride the partition 7 in the steam-chamben This ring 20 is of such diameter that when one of its inner surfaces lies against the wall 5 the outer opposite face will be connected with wall 6 of the steamchamber. The slot 21 in ring 20 fits pretty closely to partition 7; but there is room for some little oscillation about said partition. The ring 20 has a passage 22 near the inletport and a passage 23 near the exhaust-port of the steam-chamber. Ring 21 is attached to an annular cap 24, which projects as a flange at each side of said ring, the projection being greater than the width of chamber 8, so that whatever the position of ring 20 in said chamber the cap 24: will extend over the walls 5 and 6. The cap or ring 2a is covered by the cover A of the casing, which is bolted or otherwise attached to the casing 1 (or a flange A thereon) and is simply a dished plate strengthened by ribs B whereever desirable and having a central hole or well for a stuffing-box and shaft, to be described.

Now, suppose the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 5 and steam to be admitted at port 12. The steam will enter the crescentshaped space at the left of partition or abutment 7 and will pass round chamber 8 in the direction of the arrows a a, bearing 011 both sides of ring 20; but as there is no counterbalancing pressure on the outer side of ring IOO 20 from c to Z) the ring will be shifted, the contact-points e (Z moving at the same time, so that the crescent-shaped spaces e and fwill be shifted to and beyond the position shown in dotted lines until the steam escapes at 13. The ring 20 will thus be caused to swing as a pendulum from the pivotal bar 7 and to oscillate from side to side of chamber 8, the top of said chamber being always closed by the annular cap 24. The piston-ring 25 bears the same relation to chamber 10 that ring 20 does to chamber 8, and this ring has a cap 26 extending over wall 4: in all positions of the piston as well as the central space 16.

The cap 26 has lugs 27 extending upward in line with corresponding lugs 27 on the cap 24. A coupling-bar 30, placed between these lugs, serves to couple the two caps 24 and 26 1 together, the bar 30 having shoulders which bear against the inner lugs 27. \Vhen the piston-rings are in their respective chambers f and the caps coupled together, the inner ring will be compelled to partake of the movement of the outer ring,

opening and closing said ports.

A passage 29 extends from the opening 22 This upward to the top of the piston-cap 24. permits steam to pass abovethe cap 24, and, as the steam-pressed area above this cap is somewhat greater than the area below to which steam has access, the cap 2% will be held down to make close joints at the top of walls 5 and 6 and at the bottom of ring 20.

It is sometimes necessary to start the pistons after steam is admitted. This can be done by means of the starting leveror handle 35, which is connected to a shaft 36, passing through a stuffing-box 37 on cover A, and having a head 38, provided with a shoulder 39, projecting from its face. The floor or head 38 in front of shoulder 39 is inclined spirally.

The shaft 36 may turn as well as have end wise movement in its box.

A pin 31 projects upwardly from some part of the connected pistoinlieacls. In Fig. 1 this pin is shown on the coupling-bar. This pin is above the center of the compound piston,

and therefore in a posit-ion eccentric to the casing. As shaft is concentric to said casing, it follows that when the head 38 is pressed down and rotated the shoulder 39 will engage pin 31 and start it in movement, the pin moving in a circular path. When the piston attains a rapid movement, it will carry the pin 31 against the inclined face 40, and riding under said inc1ine will lift head 38, thus automatically disengaging the start: ing key or lever. The friction of shaft 36 in box 37 and the steam-pressure below should retain the key out of engagement normally.

and the eresent-shaped space f (between the ring 25 and wall 3) will, 1 by movement of the steam-piston, be alter-f nately opened and closed at each side of the hub or wall 3, serving to draw in water through port 14 and expel it through port 15, the oscillation of the piston-rin g 25 alternately I The space or chamber 17 between walls 4 and 5, serves as a non-conductor. This space may be filled with asbestus or allowed to remain as an airspace, or made to fill with water.

The central hub, formed by wall 3, may be left solid, but preferably has a chamber 16, which receives water from the reservoir 42 to aid in lubrication.

A water-reservoir 0, having supply-chamber 41 and escape-passage 42, is properly connected with the source of water-supply and the tank or other receptacle to be filled.

Thepassage 42 may be connected with a small tank 43 above the level of the pump by pipe 44, and this tank, by means of pipe 45 leading to chamber 41, maybe made to prime the pump whenever necessary, the pipes being provided with valves or cocks by which they may be opened or closed.

In Fig. 2 I have represented a modification in which the cover or cap 24 is extended entirely across the piston, the portion 24 serving as a cover to the cap 26 of ring 25, and also carrying pin 31, which pin has the function heretofore ascribed to pin 31. The central portion of cap 26 is slightly separated from cap 24, and a passage 19 leads through this cap or plate 26. Water from chamber 16 will pass through the cover 26 and serve as a cushion and lubricant between said cover and the plate 24, at the same time bearing the ring 25 and plate 26' firmly to their seats and exerting an upward pressure on cover 24., which will counterbalance part of the downward pressure of steam on said cap 24. The covers 26 and 24 will be compelled to move together by reason of the accurate fit of the one within the other or by interlocking surfaces.

lVhen the pistons are constructed with the opening in the steam-piston covered, an ad ditional partition may be inserted in space 17. (See dotted lines, Fig; 1.) The object to be accomplished is to provide an air-space for a non-conductor independent of the space which will be filled with water; also, the water used for packing the water-piston would com municatc with the space 17, which, being under more pressure than the pressure of steam used for packing the steam-piston, would (unless the area was decreased by means of this extra partition) form an excess of upward pressure, so as to prevent the seating of the steam-piston. It is obvious that any proportional difference between the pressure of the steam and water may be obtained by the position this partition occupies with relation to ring 4:, making the area of upward pressure greater or less, depending on the area inscribed, and a compound piston consisting of independent broken rings in said chambers provided with caps and coupled'to move together, substantially as described.

2. In a steam-pump, the combination, with the casing having steam and water chambers of the character described and provided with inlet and outlet ports, of the steam-piston ring having a cover extending across the ring from side to side, and the waterpiston ring having a similar cover, and a Water-passage by which fluid-pressure is admitted between the covers, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the casing and the gyrating compound piston described, of a projection on the piston and a starting lever passing through the case and having a bearing-face to engage said projection on the piston. c

4. In a steam-pump of the character described, the combinatiomwith the casing and compound piston, of a projection on the piston and a shaft passing through the cover of the casing, said shaft having a shoulder in position to engage the projection on the piston, and an incline by which the startingshaft may be automatically thrown out of engagement.

annular steam and water chambers partitioned, as described, and having ports, as stated, and the balanced compound piston having overhanging covers, of the partitioned space between the walls of the chambers, whereby the balancing-pressure may be adapted to the conditions of the work.

6. In a pump of the character described, the combination of the annular steam and water chambers partitioned, as described, and having inlet and outlet ports, the broken ring-pistons in said chambers having caps covering the chamber-walls, and a passage leading above the Water-cap from the delivery side of the pump, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' EDWARD O. JOHNSON.

\Vitnesses:

W. A. BARTLETT, PHILIP MAURO. 

